Aberdeen 1 Livingston 2

Last updated : 21 March 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Due to heavy thunderstorms in Aberdeen this game was in serious doubt, with referee Mike McCurry only passing the pitch playable 35 minutes before kick-off.

This was the sixth meeting between the two sides this season, the last of which came just three days ago when Livingston came out on top in the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay.

Dons boss Steve Paterson made three changes to the side that lost to Livi with Chris Clark joining the injury list and David Zdrilic and Scott Muirhead dropping to the bench.

Livingston boss David Hay also took the chance to freshen up his side and rest some of his key players, meaning that David Fernandez and top scorer Derek Lilley started the match on the bench.

Both sides took time to find their feet on a difficult playing surface and the best two chances fell in the opening ten minutes, when Bryan Prunty saw his shot from the edge of the area as well saved by Livi's Roddy McKenzie and for the visitors John Paul McGovern's cross-shot almost sneaked in at the far post.

In the 14th minute Livingston took the lead in freak circumstances when a low cross from James McAllister looked to be going nowhere until it hit the referee who deflected it into the path of Fernando Pasquinelli, who in turn rolled it into the path of Colin McMenamin who steadied himself before slotting the ball beyond David Preece.

On 31 minutes the home side made a tactical switch bringing on David Zdrilic for the ineffective Richard Foster, but could not turn things round before the break.

The Dons dominated much of the second half and were certainly creating the better chances, before finally getting their reward with six minutes to go. Scott Morrison's corner was flicked on at the near post by David Zdrilic and it fell to Leigh Hinds at the far post.

His first effort was saved by McKenzie, but the ball again fell to Hinds who this time fired it into the roof of the net.

The home fans delight was short lived though as only two minutes later Fernandez broke clear down the left before passing to Burton O'Brien, who side footed it home from six yards to give the Lions all three points.